WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Three second quarter goals were all the offense the Saint Francis field hockey team needed to defeat Bellarmine and improve to 3-0 for only the second time in program history after a 3-1 win in non-conference action on Thursday.
>> Eva Valentini (Junin, Argentina) registered her second goal of the season and the 22nd of her career to move into a tie for fifth place for career goals in program history.
>> Madison Stotler (Philadelphia, Pa.) notched her first collegiate goal on her first career shot, while Julia Breneman (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) posted her second tally of the season.
>> Chloe South (California, Md.) turned away five shots in the first 45 minutes of the match.

TURNING POINTS
Breneman got the Red Flash on the scoreboard at the 17:01 mark unassisted to give the Loretto program a 1-0 lead. Valentini found the back of the cage off an insertion pass on a penalty corner by Marie Sattler (Kaiserslautern, Germany) at 21:53 for what proved to be the eventual game-winner.

FLASH MOMENTS
Stotler then sealed the victory off a pass from Chloe Butz (Stroudsburg, Pa.) at 27:01 to help Saint Francis register all three goals in a span of 10 minutes in the second quarter.

After notching shutouts in the first two matches of the season, the only question late in the game would be if the Red Flash could earn its third-consecutive shutout, which would have tied the program record set in both 2014 and 2015. The Knights ended the scoreless streak with six minutes and 39 seconds left in the game to cap 193 minutes without letting in a goal to start the season.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Saint Francis has won its first three games for only the second time in program history, joining the 2014 team that won a program-record eight games to start the season.

Valentini came into the season with 20 goals and 12 assists for 52 points and now has two goals and an assist for five points in her junior campaign. The 22 goals are tied with Belen Albanes (2005-08) for fifth most in team history, while her 57 points currently sit in sixth place and two shy of fifth place. It was Valentini's second career game-winner.

Breneman is tied with Valentini for the team lead with two goals and an assist for five points through three games. The senior, who scored all of her goals in 2021 before this season, now has eight goals and six assists for 22 points.

Stotler had appeared in 11 games without registering a shot before Thursday's game and then found the back of the cage of her first career shot.

Sattler notched her second assist of her career and now has a goal and two assists for four points in 2023. Butz, who had two assists in last year's meeting against Bellarmine, notched her first point in her sophomore campaign and now has a goal and four assists for six points in her career.

South made her first start of the season in goal with five saves in 45 minutes, while Mia DiGenova (King of Prussia, Pa.) played the final 15 minutes with a career-best two saves.

Hannah Rohrer (Puslinch, Ontario) appeared in her 32nd career game and made her first collegiate start on the afternoon.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis continues its four-game road trip at the Theresa Check Invitational on Saturday against host Miami (Ohio). Match time is 12 p.m.